


Undercover Affairs

by CharminglyyEvil



Category: Bensler - Fandom, Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Affairs, F/M, Family, Fluff, Olivia is undercover, Slow Burn, eventual bensler being a family and raising a family and being adorably domestic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-18 22:01:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28999440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharminglyyEvil/pseuds/CharminglyyEvil
Summary: Olivia meets Elliot, a retired cop whose marriage is falling apart, as she's undercover, bartending at a sleazy bar. She knows it's wrong to fall for a civilian. He knows it's wrong to stray from his wife. But they can't to stay away from each other, even though his appearance and their growing relationship is threatening her cover. Eventual affair. Lots of fluff, a bit of a slow burn and I hope, Bensler family moments.
Relationships: Bensler - Relationship, Olivia Benson & Elliot Stabler
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

It’s common knowledge that nobody comes to this bar for the drinks.

No. Bachelors and straying husbands come for the waitresses. Girls in their early twenties in miniskirts that rise too high when they bend over, and skimpy tops tied up at the front, revealing tanned skin, belly button piercings and tattoos.

The bar is filled with the pungent stench of beer and tobacco. The walnut lounges clearly need replacing, with the cushions sagging and leather tearing at the ends. Neon pink lights flicker weakly on the walls, showing girls lounging in martini glasses and the bar’s name, _Pink Leopard_. It leaves much of the open tiled spaces, lounges, pool tables and bar in darkness, giving off a cold and damp feeling.

Of course, none of that matters. Because everyone knows that for the right tip, the right _price,_ the _Pink Leopard_ girls would indulge in the men’s drunk flirting, let them have a touch, a kiss and maybe more.

It’s wrong for Elliot to be here. He needs to be on the phone, calling his wife and begging her to come home, convincing her that she and the children do not need to stay at her Mother’s this week because they can work things out.

Instead, he is sitting at the bar, watching one of the waitresses serve drinks. She’s older than the other girls, in her mid-thirties. She has a tousle of honey brown hair that falls down in waves around her shoulders. She is wearing a leather pencil skirt, a tight tank top and black boots that reach halfway up her calves.

Elliot watches her bend over to reach for the glasses, her skirt riding up her thighs and tightening around her arse as she did so, accentuating her curves. It makes his imagination run wild.

Ellipt hasn’t been able to take his eyes off her all night. Not just because of her attraction…but there was something intriguing about her, in the way she moves, the way she speaks to customers and staff, gentle yet steady and firm.

He’s only looking, but his thoughts aren’t innocent. He imagines what it would be like to approach her. To push her up against the table she is cleaning and have his hands sculpt their way down her body until they’re squeezing the curve of her arse…

Elliot shakes his head roughly, shattering the fantasy. _This is wrong. He shouldn’t be here._

Just as he contemplates leaving, he hears a whistle. He whips his head around to the source of the noise, a man in his sixties, stroking his beard. It’s the same man who has been cat calling this woman all night, asking her to take a break on his lap. Like she had done so many times before, the woman ignores his calls and continues working, as if she didn’t hear anything.

Elliot notices that she isn’t like the other girls, who are quick to invite the men in, responding to their sleazy comments and drunken whistles with a giggle and flirtatious smile. She humours their interest. But he can tell by the tightening of her lips and the smile that didn’t reach her eyes, that she is nothing but repulsed by their attention.

Elliot has been eyeing the bearded man tonight. He recognises the hungry look darkening this man’s gaze as he ogles the bartender. It makes Elliot’s fingers curl with anger, his body tensing in his seat, as if preparing to jump up towards him.

A sudden _clang_ startles Elliot, dragging his attention to the beverage in front of him.

“Scotch on the rocks?”

Elliot lifts his head up to the brunette who has caught his attention all night. She’s studying him with an arched eyebrow. “You’ve been sitting here for almost an hour and haven’t ordered, so I assumed.”

Elliot accepts the drink with a small “ _Thanks.”_

She returns to wiping the bar and Elliot uses this moment to steal a glance. She is just as pretty up close as she is afar. She has striking dark eyes and red lipstick that coats her full lips, reminding him of rich cherries when she pouts. Unlike the other girls, Elliot can see faint lines around her eyes and cheeks, outlining previous smiles and hardships. Still, she is undeniably beautiful. But he can’t help but think how out of place she looks here.

Elliot tilts his head towards a group of rowdy men who are calling out to the girls and slamming their glasses on the table.

“Are they always like this?”

The woman follows his gaze. “Drunk?”

“No. Like animals.”

The dark-haired beauty watches one of the customers just as he reaches for the girl by her waist, pulling her towards him. She pauses, on alert, ready to rush in. But then the waitress begins giggling, sinking into his lap.

She lets out a small sigh, going back to cleaning the bar. “You know what some men can be like. They see a girl in a short skirt and tight top and suddenly think she’s their property, like she’s asking for it.”

Elliot clenches his jaw. “It’s disgusting.”

Her eyes bloom with surprise, clearly not expecting that answer. “It is.”

“I see the way they treat you as well. Do you always put up with this?”

She shrugs, her cheeks lifting. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“What about the younger girls?” Elliot asks, tilting his head towards a waitress who is squeezing a man’s arm with one hand and pocketing cash in the other. 

“Most of these girls are in college. I don’t think they’re proud of what they do…but the tips are paying for their tuition and rent. This way, they don’t have to sweat through night classes and day jobs. Most of them get by comfortably only working a few nights a week.”

Elliot nods slowly. He understands, but it does not make him feel any less comfortable. He imagines his own daughter working here to get through college. Suddenly, Elliot is wrecked with guilt, remembering what his earlier intentions were for the night.

“I don’t usually get so many questions.” The bartender leans over, resting her elbows on the bar. She winces at him curiously. “What about you? I can’t believe you came here just for a cheap drink.”

“Then you assumed wrong.” Elliot takes a sip of his drink and places it back down, eyeing her with interest. “What about you? You don’t seem like you should be working here.”

She raises her eyebrows and folds her arms, studying him once more. “Oh? And I suppose you have me all pegged out?”

Elliot shrugs. “I’m a pretty good judge of character.”

She breathes out a small laugh, a light tinkle in her throat. Elliot notices the dimples that touch her lips.

She continues, oblivious to his stares. “A good judge of character huh? And I suppose you developed that from your training in what, carpentry?”

Elliot’s eyes round with surprise.

“You’re uniform,” she explains, her eyes trailing down his polo shirt to his work boots. “Judging from the mud on your boots and the debris on your collar, I’d say you just came off shift today, perhaps working on the new residential flats down the street?”

Elliot raises his eyebrows, impressed. “You have an eye for detail. Do you assess all your customers like this?”

She shrugs, smiling. “Only the ones that give me cause to, _Elliot.”_

Elliot follows her gaze down to his nametag around his neck. He lifts his head up, his lips tilting into a smile. “You know, I never caught your name?”

  
She flashes him a smile of her own. “That’s because I didn’t give it to you.”

With that, she clears his empty glass and turns on her heel to walk off. Elliot doesn’t miss the sway in her hips she gives him with her exit.


	2. Chapter 2

It is when Elliot returns the next day after his afternoon shift that he learns her name. 

He’s walking into the bar when he overhears one of the girls call out for her “Livinia, we’ve run out of pale ciders. Didn’t you say we ordered more?” 

Elliot takes a seat on the barstool, the same spot he occupied yesterday. He watches Livinia hurry back behind the bar, brushing her brown curls out of her eyes as she crouches down to search for the goods. 

Elliot clears his throat. “Livinia, hey?” 

Livinia raises her head, blinking once, then twice. “You’re back.” 

“You seem surprised.” 

She reaches for a short glass above and a bottle of scotch as she speaks. “Well, we don’t usually get people returning for a drink. Same old?” 

Elliot accepts the beverage and takes a chance to scan the room. The bar seems just as full as it was yesterday, with most of the lounges and barstools now occupied. Elliot recognises some of the men. “It looks like this place brings in a few regulars.” 

She tilts her head to the side, passing him a sarcastic look. “Come on. You know people don’t come back here for the drinks.” 

Elliot doesn’t appreciate the implication in her tone even though admittedly, it was his intentions yesterday to come here for that exact reason, a cheap hook up. Elliot follows her gaze to one man who is reaching for one of the waitress’s waist as she goes to hand him his drink. “Well, that’s not my scene.” 

She casts him a doubtful look. “Oh really? You’re telling me that a married man like you came in yesterday and today, alone, for a drink?” 

Elliot shrugs and takes a sip of scotch. He glances at her from above his glass. “Hey, maybe I just like the company.” 

She tilts her head to the side, staring at him curiously. Before she can reply, another girl calls out for her, needing her assistance. She sighs. She looks as if she is about to say something to Elliot, but then decides against it, walking off. 

…

Elliot isn’t sure why he came back again. 

Kathy did not return any of his nine calls until this afternoon, when he was working. He  
had checked his phone after his shift and was greeted by a voicemail from Kathy, expressing that she wanted space to think things through and Elliot should respect that. She made an offer for him to come by his Mother’s this week to see the kids and perhaps he would like to take them out for the weekend? 

Elliot had almost crushed his mobile with anger. However, he knows now that it is not his anger towards her or her decision to leave with the children that’s bothering him. It’s his fears that she is using this time to prepare for a divorce. So, Elliot had got into his car, planning on driving over to speak to her about this. 

Yet he found himself driving back to the Pink Leopard bar, Livinia on his mind. Elliot will see his kids this weekend. Tonight, he needs the distraction. 

Elliot is surprised at how comfortable and at ease he feels when he was with Livinia, drinking and chatting with her. He’s a closed book. Yet she has a way of sensing his thoughts and emotions underneath the layers, gently prodding with her soft, curious gaze, until he feels himself open up. 

He’s three drinks in when she says, “So tell me, why have you actually been coming here these past few nights?” 

Elliot blinks, taken back at the question. “What do you mean?” 

She leans onto the counter and meets his eyes, speaking seriously. “I mean you’re a married man who’s been spending his evenings after work at a seedy bar talking to me, instead of at home with his wife. I know you care about her because you haven’t tried to go home with any of the girls here, and I know they’ve made passes at you.” Her eyes soften with her tone. “What are you trying to avoid?” 

Elliot swallows back the discomfort that is rising thick in his throat. He was not expecting to talk about his marriage. Yet when he meets her gentle eyes, he feels trust and that sense of connection he has been growing between them these past few days. 

“I’m not avoiding anything in my marriage. If anything, she is the one who’s” Elliot stops, blowing out a long breath. The last thing he wants to do is blame his wife for his own mistakes. “She needs a break, time to think.” Elliot pauses and meets Livinia’s expectant eyes. He continues, “It’s a long story. I only began working in construction this month. Before that, I was working for the NYPD in homicide.” 

Her eyes widen. She drops the cloth to the side. She’s silent for a beat, then says, “Detective to construction? That’s a big change.” 

“I had the skills and an old friend offered me the job. Working for the NYPD was…intense. We took on some complex cases. Catching murderers, serial killers who had been abducting victims and killing for years. I worked long hours at the office and wasn’t there for her or Kathleen enough.” 

“Your daughter?” 

Elliot nods. “I always convinced myself that I needed to be at work. That I had to find the killer, had to give the family justice and peace after what they’ve gone through.” 

Understanding passes the woman’s eyes. She says softly, “You loved your job.” 

Elliot lifts his head up, her words resonating with him. “Yeah. But I loved my family more…I sure didn’t show it though. The work put a strain on our marriage. We fought a lot. Eventually I resigned to focus on the family, but not before screwing it up and sleeping with my co-worker.” 

Livinia takes in a long breath. “When did she find out?” 

“Last week. I was an idiot. I ended the affair with Dani months ago, but Kathy found messages on my phone. She moved out a few days ago.” 

“And that’s when you dropped by for a drink?” 

Elliot nods. He hesitates, then says “You were right about me. I didn’t come in for a drink that night. I, ah…I wanted a distraction. I’m not proud of it.” 

“You didn’t cheat on your wife though. You changed your mind.” 

Elliot thinks for a moment, then says, “Well, I guess I learned that I prefer speaking to you.” 

She lowers her eyes, not too sure how to take that. She meets his gaze again and asks, “So what’s happening now then?” 

Elliot takes another long drink, as if doing so would drown his regrets. “Right now, Kathy wants space to think about this…us. She doesn’t want to see me until she’s ready to talk about this. I just have to wait this out until she’s ready.” 

Livinia studies him for a moment, silent. The grief weighing in his voice and sinking in his eyes hit her heart. “You’re a good guy Elliot. We all make mistakes. It doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a second chance.” 

He breathes out a dark chuckle. “Mistake? That’s saying it lightly.” He lifts his head up, wincing at her. “How do you know I’m such a good guy?” 

She shrugs, her lips softening into a smile. “Intuition. I’m a pretty good judge of character you know.” 

Elliot meets her eyes, his cheeks lifting to mirror her smile. “What about you Liv? Have you made mistakes?” 

Liv blinks, startled at the newfound nickname. He says it so naturally, as if he had known her for years as Liv. When she is working at this bar, she is always Livinia. 

Liv feels too close to home. 

Nonetheless, Liv recovers quickly. She replies, “Too many to count.” 

Then she refills his drink, preparing to leave when he speaks once more. 

“Do you have any kids of your own?” 

She looks up, surprised at his interest. She feels a familiar pang hit her chest and creep up her throat at the question. She tries to swallow it back down, her voice a little hoarse with emotion when she replied “No.”

She lowers her eyes onto the dirty cloth, waiting for the ache in her heart to ease. She can sense his eyes softening onto hers with compassion. She doesn’t want his sympathy. She wants to drop the subject, yet temptation drags her gaze back up to his. “Why do you ask?” 

Elliot shrugs again, thinking carefully. “Just seeing how you speak to your staff, to the younger girls…you seem so gentle, nurturing.” He pauses, sensing the emotion behind her glassy eyes. “It seems out of place here, you know? It makes me wonder why you work here.” 

“What do you mean?” 

Elliot is not too sure how to respond. He gives it some thought, then continues, his tone soft with emotion. “Just the way the customers treat you here. I hate to see kindness like that taken advantage of.” 

Her cheeks lift into a smile that sends warmth blossoming in his chest. Once again, he finds his eyes drawn to her dimples and the twinkle in her eye. He feels it again, that overwhelming feeling pulling towards her, making him want to reach out to her, to comfort her. 

Instead, he settles for picking up his empty, shaking it in the air. “How about another one?” 

Liv reaches for his glass and scoops up a few ice cubes while simultaneously reaching for the bottle. “You’re really not tired of Jack Daniel’s yet?” 

Elliot accepts the drink. “Maybe, but only the drink.” 

He lifts his eyes up to hers, to check that she understands what he was meaning. Judging by the slight dip of her head and the small smile that plays on her lips, Elliot would guess that she does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave Kudos and comments, they're always much appreciated. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Since Kathy left, Elliot has been tossing and turning at night, his bed feeling too big and cold without her. Yet tonight, he feels his body crashing from exhaustion, dragging him quickly into a deep slumber and dreams of Liv…

_The bar is empty except for the two of them. She is sitting on the edge of the pool table, cross-legged, resting on the palms of her hands. Her dark eyes follow him, the heel of her boot swinging from side to side._

_Elliot’s eyes trail over her body as he walks over until he is standing in front of her. His hands rest on either side of her._

_“Liv?”_

_In his dreams, she says what he wants to hear most. Tonight, she leans forward until her lips are almost near his. She murmurs, “Elliot, I want_ you.”

_Elliot’s lips crash onto hers. Her lips fall quickly to take him in, responding to the push and pull of his mouth. His hands tangle through her hair. Hers hook into the loops of his jeans, pulling him in closer, making her desires for him clear. Her lips are like berries when he bites into her, soft and lush. He drinks her in, tasting every part of her. From her mouth down to the crook of her neck._

_She tilts her head back, a deep moan parting her lips. “El…”_

_She wraps her legs around his waist and pulls him in further, her hips rising up to meet his. She wants him, right there and then on the pool table. She begs him to take her there._

_His dream quivers and changes. Elliot is now sitting on the lounge, watching her undress in front of him. She’s flirty in her dreams, just like in his fantasies. She bites her lower lip as she slowly takes off her top. She bends over as she goes to slip off her skirt then her bra and panties, her eyes never leaving his._

_Elliot lets her leave her boots on._

_She walks over to him slowly, a sway in her hips. She bends forward and rests both hands on the side of the lounge. Her lips brush against his as she whispers, “Do you want me El?”_

_Elliot answers her by pulling her down towards him, their lips meeting in a heated kiss. She goes to straddle his waist, her hands running down his chest and pulling at his shirt. His hands sculpt down her curves and squeeze her arse, pulling her hips towards where he needs her the most._

_Then he has her lying underneath him, his hands and mouth tracking every curve and slope of her body that he had been eyeing every evening he saw her at the bar. When he thrusts into her, long and hard, he releases a strangled moan from her throat. He begins to ride her, his pace quickening with hers. She arches her back, nails racking down his skin. Her moans come in peaks and slopes, rising and falling with the waves of pleasure building throughout his body._

_“Oh God…Elliot…”_

When Elliot wakes up, he is slick with sweat. His sheets are wet as well. He can still feel his heart hammering in his chest. He presses his head back against the pillow and squeezes his eyes shut. He tells himself that it’s just a dream, a meaningless dream.

Finally, Elliot manages to drift back off to sleep, with Liv still on his mind.

…

As planned, Elliot picks his daughter up Friday night to have her over for the weekend. Elliot takes her to the zoo and upon her request, they spend the evenings together, watching Disney movies and eating takeout. It’s a much welcome distraction from Liv.

Yet when he drops her off Monday morning to a cool and guarded Kathy, he finds himself already making plans to see Liv again.

It’s busy tonight at the bar and they’re short on staff. Elliot sips his drink slowly as he watches Liv clear drinks from the pool table. He dreamt last night that they had fucked right there on the pool table. Heat creeps up his neck as he watches her lean over the pool table, the dream replaying in his mind.

Elliot shuts his eyes. It’s bad enough that he’s dreaming about having sex with her to begin with. _It’s wrong_ for him to be thinking it when he’s awake, watching her.

Elliot tells himself that it’s just pent up frustration. It was hard this morning, dropping Kathleen off and watching her cast him a sad smile and a weak wave as he drove off. She’s only six and unable to understand why Daddy can’t be with them. He misses waking up to her in the morning and making her panda shaped pancakes. _He misses Kathy._ Elliot isn’t sure how long this break will last, and the lack of communication is torturous.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Elliot startles and raises his head to Liv. She smiles at him, already reaching for a bottle of scotch to top up his drink.

Elliot accepts the drink. “Yeah.”

“It’s just that you seem a little distracted.”

Her eyes soften as she studies him. Elliot is suddenly worried that she can see right through him. Perhaps he was staring at her a little too long tonight, making his lust for her clear.

Then she says, “How are things with your family?”

His body relaxes. “Well, Kathy’s still not ready to talk about us. I think it hurts her every time she thinks about it…we’ve started seeing each other again for Kathleen’s sake. I had her over this weekend actually, I took her to the zoo. I let her have my phone for the day, so she went crazy taking photos of the animals.”

Seeing Liv’s eyes light up with interest, Elliot takes out his phone, searching for the photos. He offers it to her.

She scrolls through the photos, smiling. “She’s beautiful El.”

_El._ It’s the first time she calls him that, yet it falls from her lips so naturally. Liv doesn’t even notice it herself or the smile that touches his lips when she says the endearing nickname.

She continues looking through the photos, her dimples reaching her cheeks. “She has your eyes as well.” She glances briefly at his eyes, before returning back to the photo. “She’s lucky. I would have killed for blue eyes at her age.”

Elliot studies her mahogany coloured eyes, warm and gentle. He has to stop himself from questioning her, thinking just how beautiful her eyes are. Thinking that if he stared long enough, he could fall right into her eyes.

Her light chuckle grabs his attention once more. “She’s quite the artist.”

She shows him the series of photos Kathleen had taken without Elliot’s awareness. Photos of Elliot lounging on the couch, popcorn on his shirt, and mouth open in a snore, asleep. Photos of him hunched over the table in his flannel pyjamas, his mouth full of cereal.

Elliot quickly reaches for the phone, shocked and a little embarrassed.

“God, I had no idea she had taken them.”

She breathes out another laugh. “She’s sneaky. It looks like you two had a fun weekend though.”

Elliot pockets his phone. “What about you? Did you get up too much?”

She parts her lips to speak and then pauses, as if changing her mind. “You know, the same old. I caught up on some sleep and ran some errands.”

Elliot notices a change in her body language, her arms folding together and eyes lowering as her voice trails off. He has noticed that she seems to close up whenever he asks about her life.

Elliot pushes her a little more. “That’s it? No big plans or dates?”

She tilts her head to the side at his curiosity. “No, nothing like that.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

Her eyes bloom with surprise, then softens with interest, studying his eyes once more.

Elliot isn’t sure why he cares about her relationship status. But he suddenly finds himself needing to know, wanting to learn more about her.

“Livinia!” One of the waitresses calls for her from over the bar. “Robert’s here, wanting to see you.”

Elliot doesn’t miss the steady breath she takes, then sees her body softening, releasing tension as she exhales. Elliot himself suddenly feels his body tense up at the mention of _Robert._

He tries to keep his voice calm when he says, “Robert?”

Liv doesn’t miss the hint of tension in his tone at his enquiry. “Just a regular customer, he’s taken a bit of…interest in me lately.”

Elliot follows her gaze to a group of men settling into one of the lounges. He notices one man in particular who’s currently flirting with one of the waitresses. He’s in his forties, with salt and pepper hair, sharp features, chisel jaw and stone-grey eyes. The man is clean shaven and like the other two men sitting next to him, wearing a pressed suit.

Elliot gathers that this is Robert, as he hears the man calling out for _“Livinia”_ again. His fingers curl to the side, his body tensing.

Elliot can’t help himself. The words roll off his tongue before he can register thinking it. “Does every customer take an interest in you like this?”

Liv raises her eyebrows, surprised. “Not all of them.” She leans over the bar, her eyes batting in a hint of a wink when she says, “Just the married ones who love their scotch.”

Elliot meets her stare from above the rim of his glass. He doesn’t miss her light tone and the flirtatious smile she casts his way, knows that she is trying to keep things light to ease his concern.

Then she turns, tilting her head over to the bar. “I better go see what he wants.”

Elliot follows her gaze to Robert once more. There’s something about the man that puts him on edge. “Hey Liv,” Elliot quickly calls to her, stopping her. Elliot’s surprised at the urgency in his tone. Judging from her wide eyes, he can see that she is as well. He tries to recompose himself, speaking in a calmer tone. “This man…who is he?”

Liv steps forward, sensing his concern. “Like I said, he’s a regular. He’s harmless really.” She hesitates, as if deciding how much she should share. “He’s like any other customer here. Unfortunately, he’s a friend of the boss and brings in a lot of business from clients and associates. So, I have to make sure he gets what he wants.”

That’s exactly what Elliot is worried about. He glances at Robert again and then back at Liv. “You sure that what he’s wanting isn’t you?”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it. But I can handle him.”

Then she walks off. Elliot takes a steady breath and downs the rest of his drink in one gulp.

He knows his concerns for her is ludicrous. _She’s not his girlfriend._ He shouldn’t care so much. Besides, he knows that she’s right. He’s seen the way she carries herself and interacts with the other customers. She’s never afraid to put others in place.

Yet he can’t shake of the gut feeling telling him that she’s in trouble.

Elliot turns his attention back to Liv. She’s sitting on the edge of the lounge Robert is sitting back in, laughing at something he said. Robert is nursing his glass with one hand while the other moves to rest on her thigh.

It’s not the first time he’s seen a customer touch her inappropriately. But it’s the first time he’s seen Liv ignore it.

Elliot signals to the waitress for another drink. When she comes over, he asks, “Hey, who’s that guy speaking to Liv?”

The blonde waitress frowns and follows his gaze. “Oh, you mean Robert? He’s a regular here, some big financial advisor on Wall Street. I haven’t actually spoken to him much since Livinia started working here.”

Elliot frowns. “What do you mean? You mean she hasn’t always worked here?”

The waitress tilts her head to the side, looking at him incredulously. “No, of course not. She started working here a few months ago. They hired her as our manager, which makes no sense since one of the positions should have gone to one of us. It’s no big surprise,” she adds after Elliot’s puzzled stare. “Most of the girls here don’t stay long. We’ve lost three girls in the last six months. Anyway, before Livinia started, Robert used to ask for me.” She says this almost proudly, tossing her hair to the side. “Of course, that was when my hair was darker. Robert’s into brunettes.”

Elliot lets the information sink in, processing.

The blonde clears her throat to catch his attention again and asks, “Anyway, is there anything else I can do for you hun?”

Elliot doesn’t miss the flirtatious smile and suggestive look in the girl’s eye. He shakes his head and passes her a polite smile. “I’m fine, thanks.”

She pauses, shifting her gaze between Elliot and Liv. “You should know, she’s not like the rest of us. Livinia doesn’t go home with customers, especially married men.” She leans over the counter, her tone dropping an octave. “But not all of us care.”

Her eyes linger on his wedding ring. Elliot buries his hand in pocket, a little uncomfortable under her gaze. His voice is firm when he speaks, “That’s not why I’m here.”

The blonde raises her eyebrows, casting him a doubtful look. She stands back up, straightening herself. “I see the way you look at her. You’re not fooling anyone.”

Her words continue to linger in his mind after she exits. _I see the way you look at her. You’re not fooling anyone._

Elliot swallows and takes another swing of his drink. _Is it that obvious?_ Guilt claws its way back up his stomach once more, twisting his insides uncomfortably. Elliot tells himself that it’s just lust, coming from his frustrations over his marriage with Kathy. Yet if it’s just lust, why has he never been tempted by any one of the other girls?

Elliot closes his eyes and lets out a heavy sigh. He’s not doing anything wrong by looking. Elliot takes another drink and thinks about leaving.

Yet he finds himself staying there, finishing his drink, then calling for another one and another one. Occasionally he checks his phone for any messages from Kathy and sometimes chats to the other waitresses, accepting the welcome distraction. But mostly he watches over Liv, his concern for her never easing.

…

The night drags on slowly. Elliot is five drinks in when he hears her name from Robert’s lounge at the back of the bar.

Elliot swings around in his stool so he’s facing them. Liv had left the bar moments ago with a few bags of trash in hand. Elliot can see that Robert is red in the face and laughing with his other colleagues. Elliot leans in forward, trying to hear them better.

It’s one of his colleagues who speaks. “You serious Robert?”

Robert’s speech is slurred when he speaks. “Yep. All the cash on me tonight which is, uh…” he reaches for his wallet, fumbling as he does so, but finally pulls out green bills and slams them onto the table. “Two hundred dollars and my recent stocks in Newstead that I take Livinia home tonight.”

His other friend chuckles, shaking his head. “I don’t know why you try. She’s frigid. Besides, the other girls are way hotter. What about Jess?” He cocks his head over to the blonde who was speaking to Elliot moments ago. “You know she’s been eyeing you all night.”

Robert’s lips pull into a smug smirk. “I don’t want her. I want Liv. She will tonight too, if she knows what’s good for her.”

Elliot stomach churns with disgust, his fingers clenching at the sides.

But Robert doesn’t stop. He takes another drink before saying, “Besides, they’re all the same. Women here only want one thing. Tell them how much you make, and they’ll do anything for you.”

Elliot almost breaks his glass. He doesn’t realise that he’s standing and storming over to their table. He only sees red. His features are hardened with the rage that is pumping throughout his body and slamming in his chest.

Robert is in mid-conversation when Elliot grabs the glass from his hand, slamming it onto the table. His voice is cold and laced with hostility when he breathes, “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to tell Liv what you just shared with your homeboys over here and apologise for every disgusting and depraved thing you said. Then you and your friends are going to leave her a lengthy tip and get the hell out of here. Otherwise, I’m going to smash your face into this table, glass and all. And I can promise you, not all the plastic surgery you can afford will fix the mess I’ll make out of it.”

Robert doesn’t even bat a lid. He leans in closer, smirking. “Who do you think you are?” His smirk widens into a grin. He leans back into his chair, tilting his head to the exit door. “Go on, tell her when she gets back in here. I dare you too. Liv knows who I am, and she’s no different from any of the other whores who throws themselves at me.” He shows his teeth as he grins, clearly enjoying the rage quaking in Elliot’s heavy breathing and shaking throughout his body. “Tonight, I’ll have that slut on her _knees_ for me.”

_Wham!_

Elliot’s fists collide into Robert’s face, slamming his head back against the sofa. Robert’s friends immediately stand up to restrain Elliot, but he doesn’t stop there. Elliot shakes, pushes and throws his friends off him, reflexes he gained from his years as an NYPD officer kicking in. Elliot manages to slam one of Robert’s friend into the table and punches another guy’s face, making him hit the ground.

Then he launches back into Robert. He punches him again. And again. With a growl, Robert manages to reach for a glass and smashes it into Elliot’s face. While Elliot staggers back, Robert gets onto his feet, throwing one punch then two at Elliot.

The two are oblivious to the screams, cries and scampering of feet from the other girls, who try to flee the scene. They’re oblivious to the drunken cheers from the other customers who are urging them on.

It’s only when Liv arrives does Elliot finally break out of it.

“ _What the hell is going on?”_

Elliot turns to see Liv standing at the door, pure horror shattering her features. Elliot’s panting. He suddenly realises just how heavy he is and leans forward, feeling as if his weight might give into him at any moment. He drops the beer bottle and reaches up for his cheek where he feels a slight burn. He touches blood. 

Elliot turns to look at her. The horror on her face fills him with shame.

Robert isn’t looking any better. His face is bruised and cut everywhere. His eyes are livid, his features twisted with hatred. Yet he doesn’t say anything to Elliot.

Instead, Robert staggers over to Liv and whispers, “Just wait until I tell your boss. You’re _done_ here.”

He spits on the ground and leaves. His friends soon follow, groaning and staggering behind him.

“Shit,” Liv whispers. Her gaze shifts between Elliot and Robert. She hesitates, then quickly comes over to him, assessing his cuts and injuries. “God, what have you done?”

Elliot lets her help him onto the lounge, groaning. “You didn’t hear them…didn’t hear what they were saying about you.”

Liv is crouching next to him. She shakes her head, her eyes closing for a moment. “You shouldn’t have done that. I _told_ you I could handle myself.”

“Liv, I heard him, I _saw_ the look in his eye. The sick fucker was going to rape you.”

“And I _never_ asked you to look after me.” 

Elliot clenches his jaw at her raised tone. “Right. Noted.”

Remorse immediately passes her features. “Elliot, I-” She pauses, her eyes softening onto his. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just…you don’t know who these men are. You don’t know what they’re capable of.” She reaches towards his cut and bleeding cheek, then pulls back. She sighs, closing her eyes once more. “Shit. I need to go after him before he says anything else.”

Ellipt snaps his open. “What? No-”.

“Stay here,” she says firmly, her hands reaching for his shoulder, pulling him back onto the couch. “I promise you that I will be safe. I’ll call for one of the girls to help look after you and take you to a doctor, but I _need_ you to stay here.”

Elliot wants to protest. But he sees her eyes soften with sincerity, pleading with his. So, he eases back into the couch, nodding.

Elliot lets her go, a million questions racing through his mind. Elliot swears he can hear her muttering as she runs off, her tone sounding more scared than angry.

_“God Elliot…you have no idea what you’ve done.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a longer chapter this time. I always love an Elliot who’s quick to defend Liv’s honour (not that she needs it). After writing and then reading this, I honestly wonder how long Elliot can hold on before he makes a move. He’s clearly falling for this woman.
> 
> Please leave a review and let me know what you think! I’m hoping to have the next chapter up in a week. I said it would be a bit of a slow burn….but kindda wanting them to hurry up and make out now you know?


	4. Chapter 4

Elliot splashes water onto his face, wincing when the water hits his cuts. He wonders if he should have accepted the waitress’s (Jess) offer to bandage his cheek. But he could see that the poor waitress was terrified and was itching to leave after the fight. If Elliot was honest, he wanted to get the hell out of that bar as well.

Elliot assesses his injuries in the mirror. The dark bruise over his eye almost looks alive, as if its pulsing, and has turned a shade of purple. The two-inch cut on his cheek is hot and raw. Elliot had removed the shards of glass that had cut his skin, leaving behind other bloody cuts. Fortunately, he didn’t sustain any serious injuries.

Elliot is surprised that the waitress at the diner had served him in the state he is in, without even batting an eye. Then again, he is in a rough part of town, on the outskirts of New York City. He’s sure that he’s not the first customer she’s served who just came out from a bar fight.

Jess had offered Elliot a ride to the hospital, but he had declined. Elliot knows that he probably needs medical attention, not the quick first aid job he had done himself. But he didn’t want to leave Liv alone with these men. Elliot can’t follow her either.

So, he chose to attend the 24/7 diner across the road. There, he cleaned up the last of his injuries and sobered up over a greasy burger and fries.

Elliot checks his watch. It has been hours since he got into a fight with the other men. He is sober enough to get back into his car and drive home. But Elliot isn’t fooling himself anymore. He won’t leave without checking in on Liv one last time.

…

Olivia Benson lines up her pool cue against the white ball, angling it at precisely thirty degrees. She crouches. Closing her eyes, she summons the remainder of her energy and frustration following tonight events. She shoots.

_Wham!_

The cue sends the white ball colliding against a blue ball, shooting it into the hole.

Olivia drops the cue and leans back against the table, sighing. She casts a weary look at the broken glass, pools of beer and mountains of glasses on the table, waiting to be cleaned.

Despite her attempts to distract her mind in a game of pool, she can’t seem to release all the tension in her body from tonight, or the thoughts racing in her mind.

Fortunately, Olivia had caught Robert in time before he entered his car. With a flirtatious smile and reassuring touch, Olivia had convinced Robert to not let the owner of the establishment (who was currently holidaying in the Bahamas), know about the bar fight. She convinces him to come back to the bar, promises that she’ll deal with Elliot. Promises that he won’t regret it.

Olivia knows that Robert would have no hesitations in taking his business (and his associates’ business) elsewhere, which would result in Olivia being fired. More importantly, it would ruin months of work she has made in getting closer to Robert, their number one suspect for the string of rapes and murders across Wallstreet’s salacious parties.

Olivia takes a swing of gin, draining the rest of her glass in one gulp. She winces at the burning aftertaste. Then she leans back against the pool table. Olivia thinks about her current problem. _Elliot._ She did not plan on getting so close to him. It’s clear that he’s getting closer to her as well. Olivia doesn’t miss the way he looks at her. She isn’t sure if what he feels for her is lust or something more.

_Sometimes Olivia wonders if she wants it to be something more…_

Regardless, Olivia has been growing worried that this man will threaten her cover.

A knock on the door startles her attention. She freezes for a moment, her mind racing to work out who might be coming by after midnight on a Tuesday.

Olivia places her glass back down and slowly approaches the door. She calls out, “We’re closed.”

Olivia doesn’t get a response. She opens the door. Elliot is standing there, still wearing the dirty shirt with patches of beer and faded jeans. It’s clear he didn’t go home. He lifts his head up, his cheeks lifting when he sees her.

“I didn’t come for a drink.”

Olivia swallows. The logical part tells her that she should slam the door on his face and send him away. Yet when he asks her if he can come in, his eyes meeting hers and stirring something in her heart as he does so, she finds herself stepping aside.

Olivia folds her arm protectively, watching him as he walks in. She can see him taking in the empty room, the silence.

“You were playing pool?” Elliot observes, noticing the scattered balls on the pool table.

Olivia nods. “I was…trying to let out some of the tension from tonight.”

It is when Elliot is standing near the table, under the dim neon lights, when Olivia sees his scars and bruises.

“Shit…” Olivia walks over to him, concern creasing lines into her skin.

“What?”

Olivia reaches for his cheek, her fingers trailing down the slope of his face, between his cuts. Her eyes linger on the bruise over his eye and slash over his skin.

“God…What did they do to you? I’m so sorry.”

“Hey Liv, it’s not your fault. I chose to punch the bastard.”

Olivia shakes her head, a sad smile playing on your lips. “You shouldn’t have been hurt. I must have been so caught up in what was going on…I didn’t realise they had hurt you like this-”

“Liv,” Elliot reaches for her hand near his face, his fingers curling around hers. His eyes seek out hers, trying to reassure her. “I’m fine. This _isn’t_ your fault.”

Olivia pauses. She takes in a rattling breath, letting his words sink in. _I’m fine._ She tries to believe him. She looks at his injuries once more, this time with less emotion. “I thought I told Jess to clean these up and take you to the hospital. Why aren’t you at hospital?”

“I wanted to check in on you…make sure you were right after, you know, what happened.”

Olivia met his eyes, shaking her head back to the side. She spoke softly, “You idiot. You’re the one that’s bruised and bleeding. You’re the one that had his face smashed into a glass. You know these cuts can get infected if they’re not cleaned and bandaged properly.”

“Hey, I took care of it.” He says it almost defensively.

Olivia raises her eyebrows at him, shooting him a _really?_ look. “Are you always this stubborn?”

Elliot’s lips quirk into an amused smile. He finds her concern endearing.

Olivia sighs. “The girls here can do a better job tending do your wounds three drinks in. Sit down,” Olivia tilts her head to the lounge.

Elliot frowns. “What?”

“I need to get those cuts cleaned and bandaged before they get infected. _Sit.”_

Elliot raises his eyebrows at her but senses the seriousness within her tone and hardened gaze. He knows that it is best not to protest. He goes to sit on one of the lounge chairs as she goes behind the bar to find the first aid-kit.

Olivia returns shortly later with the kit. She sits on the edge of the seat, taking a moment to examine his injuries.

Olivia clears her throat before speaking. “I’ll clean these first and then bandage the cut.”

Elliot nods.

Olivia is silent as she goes to work, cleaning his wounds with the anti-septic wipes. Elliot winces and takes in a sharp breath every time it touches his cuts. Olivia’s eyes soften compassionately, feeling her own chest tighten every time he grits his teeth. It pains her to hurt him. Olivia does all she can to not think about what other pain he went through during that fight.

Finally, Olivia makes her way down to the large, two-inch cut on his cheek. Elliot almost cries when she dabs his cut, turning his head to the side to avoid the burn.

“You know Elliot, this would be less painful if you stopped fighting me on this.”

Elliot lifts his head up. He can tell from her gentle smile and tender gaze that she’s trying to make light of the situation.

“Here,” Olivia offers him her hand. “Squeeze.”

Elliot takes her hand. He grits his teeth when she begins dabbing at his cut, squeezing his eyes shut. Olivia barely flinches when he almost crushes her hand, working quickly to clean his wound.

Olivia finishes cleaning his wound. Then she cuts off two inches of first-aid fabric and bandages his cut. She blows out a tense breath when she finishes.

“Done. I can’t believe you were really going to leave with that unbandaged. It could have got infected.” She pauses, eyeing him with a critical gaze. Then, “do you always get yourself into this much trouble?”

“Only for the right reasons.”

Olivia doesn’t miss the way his eyes linger on hers. She dips her head down, somehow feeling like his response was a confession, disclosing a deeper meaning. She lifts her head back up, her eyes checking her work once more, trailing over his bruises and cuts. Her chest tightens with guilt when she realises that none of this would have happened if she hadn’t grown so close to Elliot in the first place, hadn’t given him reason to keep coming back to the bar and to want to defend her honour.

Olivia finds the words slipping out before she can register them herself. “God Elliot…I’m so sorry.”

Elliot’s eyes are tender when they seek out hers. “Liv, stop. I told you, this isn’t your fault.”

Olivia meets his eyes, wanting to speak, the words trapped on her tongue. _But you shouldn’t have been there. I shouldn’t have gotten so close to you._

Elliot continues, “Anyway, they deserved every punch I threw at them. If I could turn back time, I’d do it again.”

Olivia smiles, a soft, sad thing. _She doesn’t doubt that he would._

Olivia searches his eyes. Secretly, she has always been fond of the soft, shade of blue in his eyes. They remind her of the ocean.

“You know,” Olivia begins lightly. “I never got to thank you for…stepping in and saying something to them. I hate that you got hurt. But I appreciate the gesture.”

Elliot’s lips crack into a smile. Olivia notices how his eyes grow warm when he smiles, crinkling around the edges and softening his features _._ The look melts warm into Olivia’s heart.

Suddenly, Elliot speaks. “Why do you work here? Why do you let them treat you this way?”

Olivia chews the inside of her mouth. _She should have known he would ask this._ Her fingers come together on her lap as she thinks carefully. She speaks slowly, “It’s…complicated. The job isn’t easy, but I stay for the right reasons. It would be hard for you to understand.”

Elliot studies her, thinking. “The other girls?”

Olivia bows her head in a nod. “That’s part of it. I like to keep an eye on them…make sure they’re safe.”

Olivia lowers her gaze, suddenly noticing a red stain on his shirt.

She reaches for it and asks, “What’s this?”

Elliot follows her gaze. “I think it’s just some blood, probably from one of the other-”

But Olivia is already reaching for his shirt and, despite Elliot’s yelps and protests, is pulling it up to examine. She casts him a disapproving look, gesturing to another bloody cut on his torso.

“You didn’t tell me about this.”

“Liv it’s fine, I picked the glass out and washed it myself.”

“Well, if it’s like the other job you did, then I don’t have confidence in your work. Take off your shirt.”

Elliot’s eyes round with surprise. He arches an eyebrow, his lips quirking into another amused smile. Olivia feels a blush creep up her cheeks and dips her head down, silently chastising herself for her choice of words.

She clears her throat and tries again. “I just mean that…I’ll need to examine that one as well.”

Still smirking, Elliot does as he’s told and begins to unbutton his dirty shirt, shrugging it off. “I didn’t know you were a qualified to deliver first aid.”

Olivia speaks as she reaches for the first aid-kit, searching for more anti-septic wipes. “It’s an important skill to have for any role, don’t you think?”

Olivia lifts her head up, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes take in his sculpted chest, firm and toned. She follows the trail of dark hair dusting down his front and dipping under the waistband of his jeans.

Olivia swallows and tries to recover, but not quickly enough. Her desires are written plainly on her face.

“So, satisfied now?”

Olivia looks up to Elliot, who’s smirking, clearly enjoying her embarrassment. She clears her throat. “That you’re cooperating for once, yes.”

Olivia takes a steady breath and tries to push her desires aside when she goes to clean his cut, applying a little pressure. It’s not as serious as she thought, but she still wants to apply a bandage, just in case. Her fingers are cool when she touches his skin, and she can feel it quiver under her hands.

Olivia tries to keep it professional. But her thoughts betray her, filling her mind with images of her running her hands down his chest, tracking bites and bruises down his bare skin, feeling his strong arms reach for her, lifting her by the hips and pulling her into his core…

“Liv?”

Olivia startles once again, realising that she had been sitting there in silence for a while, his cut now bandaged, and her mind lost in her fantasy. She clears her throat and says, “We’re done.”

Olivia clears up the rest of the equipment, avoiding his burning gaze. _God, she needs a drink._ She collects everything together and walks back to the bar, her cheeks still warm with embarrassment. She can already see Elliot smirking in her mind. Olivia reaches for the bottle of gin and downs one shot, then two. She pours herself a third and closes her eyes. She feels a slight buzz kicking in.

Trying to keep things casual again, Olivia calls out to Elliot. “Did you want a scotch?”

Elliot lifts his head up. “How about a beer instead?” At her surprise, Elliot says, “You should know, I can’t stand the scotch here.”

Olivia frowns as she walks over with their drinks. She hands him his beer. “You never said anything before.”

Elliot shrugs, accepting the drink. “Like I said, I never came here for the drinks.”

His eyes linger on hers for a little longer than necessary. Olivia finally lowers her eyes, breaking the tension.

Elliot suddenly stands and walks over to the pool table, as if he’s only noticing it now. “I hardly ever see anyone use this. You were playing before?”

Olivia nods. She sees Elliot picking up a pool cue, his shirt still on the lounge. He hasn’t bothered to put his shirt back on. Olivia swallows, her body deceiving her once more as her eyes trail down his body. _God, why isn’t he wearing a shirt?_

Olivia takes a large swing of her gin. 

“Up for a game Liv?”

Olivia eyes his challenging stare, her voice playful. “I don’t think you can take me.”

“Is that a challenge? Come on.” Elliot picks up a cue and throws it her way. Olivia quickly catches it. He raises his eyebrows, as if daring her to accept.

_Oh, what the hell._

Olivia makes her way over to the pool table.

Any good judgement she had left dissipated with her last drink that night. 

Olivia watches Elliot set up the balls. Then he breaks. He makes a clean-cut shot through the middle, the balls splitting off in different directions. He leans back against the table and takes a swing of his beer, raising an expectant brow at Olivia.

Olivia feels a little self-conscious as she leans over, her hands a little clumsy at first as she aligns her cue tip towards the white ball. She feels heat creep up her neck, feeling his gaze burning into her skin. She bends over a little more and just knows that he’s staring at her arse. Olivia bites back a small smirk. _It makes her want to bend over more._

She takes in a steady breath, trying to concentrate. She shoots.

The cue misses the centre of the white ball by millimetres, jolting against the edge of the ball. It bounces against the edge of the table, missing the coloured ball by an inch.

“ _Damnit.”_

She needs to focus and get Elliot out of her mind.

“Didn’t think I could take you huh?” Elliot says with a small smirk.

Olivia represses an eye roll, ignoring him.

Elliot nods her way when he says, “It’s your stance.” He places his beer down and walks over to her, standing where she was before. “You’re too close to the table when you hit, and your feet need to be further apart.”

Olivia folds her arms, eyeing him with scepticism. “And you’re an expert at pool now?”

As if to answer his question, Elliot picks up his cue and bends over. He hits, shooting the white ball into the red ball, which ricochets off the blue ball. Both coloured balls roll smoothly into their pockets.

He stands back up and shrugs casually, but Olivia doesn’t miss his smirk when he says smugly, “Yeah, I think I’m pretty good.”

Olivia wants to be mad at him. And she is. Yet there’s something else there as well…drawing her closer to him.

Elliot walks over to her, so he’s standing just behind her. His tone is sincere this time when he asks, “Can I show you?”

Olivia nods.

“Take a few steps back, that way you give yourself more space when aligning your cue.”

Olivia obliges. Then she feels him coming to stand behind her, his hands on her hips, gently turning her towards the pool table.

“Part your feet.”

Olivia obliges once more, trying to forget about the warmth radiating from his hand and to her hip.

Olivia swears his voice is a little hoarse when he next speaks, “Now bend over.”

Olivia swallows, desire stirring within her. She leans over and aligns her cue towards the white ball. She can feel his hand trailing up her waist, his fingers brushing over the whisper of skin peeking above her skirt. Olivia shivers. His hand trails up her side until he reaches her arm, which is pulled back to position the cue.

“Your arm can be a little higher,” Elliot says, gently pushing her arm up.

Olivia blows out a small breath. She can feel her heart accelerating. His hand is still on her waist, and she can’t stop thinking about the warmth his touch is spreading throughout her.

She struggles to keep her voice steady when she asks, “Are we good?”

Then she can feel him leaning forward, so his body’s almost pressing up against hers. She feels his nose brush against her hair, his voice tickling her ear when he whispers, “Line it up and aim.”

Olivia closes her eyes. _Now she knows that he’s doing this on purpose._ Ruining her concentration with his feathery light touches, teasing her body. She feels him squeeze her waist, his thumb brushing over her bear skin.

His breath tickles her ear when he whispers once more, “Something the matter Liv? You seem distracted.”

Olivia can just see him smirking behind her, enjoying her struggle. _Like hell she’ll let him win._ Olivia takes a steady breath, focusing. She shoots.

She hits the white ball in one swift motion. It glides across the table and hits another coloured ball into the pocket.

Olivia turns around, smiling with satisfaction. “My turn again.”

She doesn’t miss the slight irritation crossing his features. Olivia drains the rest of her glass, an idea forming in her head through the wisps of drunken thoughts clouding her judgement.

An idea that can only lead to trouble.

She circles the pool table, thinking about where she might shoot next. She stops at the end of the table, parting her feet and leaning forward.

Olivia calls out to Elliot. “How’s my stance now?”

Elliot walks over, already finding flaws. “Your backs a little straight…try stepping back and leaning forward.”

Olivia knew that he couldn’t resist correcting her. “Can you show me again?”

He meets her gaze, studying her. Olivia blinks back innocently. Slowly, Elliot walks behind her like he did before, his hands going to rest on her waist. His hand trails up her side, slower this time, before stopping to correct the position of her arm.

He’s closer this time. So much closer that she can feel the heat radiating from his body. She feels his nose brushing against her neck, as he breathes, “Good. Now bend over a little more.”

Olivia bends forward, lifting her hips up. Her arse brushes against his core. She feels his fingers dig into his waist and swears she can feel his breath hitch in his throat. Smirking, Olivia pretends to re-adjust her position. She wriggles her hips and then bends over again, purposefully brushing her arse back against his hips. She can feel him growing harder against her.

She shoots.

She hits the coloured ball and makes the shot perfectly.

“How was that?” Olivia whispers huskily.

Elliot doesn’t answer.

Olivia turns around. She suddenly realises just how close they are, her back leaning against the pool table. He’s standing in front of her, his hands coming to rest on the edge of the pool table, on either side of her. She dips her head down, her eyes trailing up his bare body and landing on his eyes. His intense, blue eyes, darkening with lust that hits her straight in the chest. It takes her breath away. Olivia isn’t sure if it’s her shallow breathing or his she can feel, drumming in her ears.

She can feel lust swallowing them both.

Olivia swallows, her voice thick with desire when she breathes, “What are we doing Elliot?”

Elliot doesn’t miss a beat. “Something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now.”

Then he closes the space between them, capturing her mouth in his.

He kisses her long and hard, as if he has been holding in his desires in for days and finally, letting go. He parts her mouth open with the push of his lips, his tongue slipping inside and intertwining with hers. He draws a deep moan from her throat.

Olivia feels his hand curling around her neck and fingers tangling through her hair, drawing her deeper into his kiss, _into him_. She parts his mouth with hers to deepen the kiss, tasting spice and citrus. She drinks him in. She can feel herself swimming, _floating._ Olivia wants to get high on his kisses alone.

“ _El…”_

Elliot swallows her moans. He can feel his heart hammering in his ears. Every instinct tells him this is wrong. Yet the sound of his name on her lips, falling in a moan, pulls him in further. Elliot drags his teeth over her lower lip as he goes to slowly break the kiss.

He brushes his lips over her earlobe when he whispers, “You know I dreamt about this?”

Olivia’s breathless and can barely manage her response. “Dreamt about-”

Her words quickly die into a moan when she feels his mouth dragging kisses from her ear and down the slope of her neck. Olivia tilts her head back and tangles her arms around his neck, surrendering to his mouth. She feels his fingers pushing under her skirt, ghosting up the backs of her thighs. It sends waves of pleasurable shivers up her spine.

“I dreamt about us, fucking here on this pool table.”  
  


His voice, thick with lust sends desire pooling quickly between her thighs. Olivia feels his fingers bunching her skirt up around her waist. He teases her with his feathery light touches, fingers caressing up her inner thigh and down her sides, but not where she needs him the most.

Suddenly, Elliot lifts her up by the backs of her thighs and onto the table, releasing a gasp from her lips. Olivia quickly wraps her legs around his waist and almost topples backwards, but Elliot quickly moves his hand behind her back to capture her.

Olivia laughs at the sudden movement, briefly breaking the kiss. She whispers into his mouth, “What are we doing?”

Elliot bites her lower lip and asks, “Showing you what happened.”

Then he’s squeezing her arse and lifting her hips up to his. Olivia laughs into his lips, a bubbly, breathy thing. 

Elliot swears that he could spend a lifetime chasing down that laugh.

Olivia breaks the kiss to take in his naked chest, lust darkening her eyes. Her hands trail down the slope of his shoulders and over his chest, feeling his skin contract under her touch. _God, she wants to taste every inch of him._

Elliot dips his head down and kisses her neck, burying his mouth in the hollow of her neck. Olivia drops her head back and moans. She can feel his teeth dragging down her skin, tracking bruises down her neck. She wraps her legs tighter around his waists and lifts her lips higher, brushing against his core, desperately trying to ease the aching desire between her thighs. She feels his hands squeezing into her arse and pulling her hips up to his, groaning into her mouth at the friction.

_“Liv…”_

Olivia brushes her lips against his, her tone drenched with desire when she breathes, “So tell me, what happens next?”

The shrilling sound of bells suddenly shatters the moment. Elliot’s phone vibrates in his pocket, ringing. They both pause, their eyes falling on his mobile.

Olivia doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t need to when Elliot meets her eyes, wincing with regret. There is no reason for anyone to call him this late at night, unless it is an emergency.

Regretfully, Olivia untangles herself from him, letting Elliot answer his phone.

Elliot takes a quick moment to steady his breathing. Then he answers it on the fifth ring. “Hello?”

Olivia watches him, her own heart rate climbing back down. She can see his brows pulling into a frown when he answers, before easing. She sees him shake his head as he responds to the person, _“Why the hell are you calling so late at night?”_

Clearly, it’s not who Olivia was expecting. Nonetheless, even when she sees Elliot end the call and walk back over to explain that it was an old friend back in town, drunk and wanting to catch up, Olivia knows that the moment is ruined.

She can’t shake off the guilt twisting in her stomach and clawing up her throat.

Olivia whispers, “I thought that was your wife.”

Elliot nods, his features mirroring Olivia’s guilt. “Me too.”

Olivia closes her eyes and tilts her head back, leaning back on her hands, as if she can feel the weight of the adultery they committed, falling on her. Olivia blows out a long sigh which soon turns into a groan.

Olivia lifts her head up, her voice cracking into a breathy, incredulous laugh. “God, what are we doing?” Olivia closes her eyes, shaking her head. “You have a wife…a family.”

_What am I doing?_

Elliot can see her cracking under the guilt and regret. He feels equally suffocated by it. Elliot wants nothing more than to take away her emotional pain. He tries to approach her. “Liv, I-”

“Stop,” Olivia says firmly. She’s straightening her skirt down and then her hair. Her tone is as cool as her features when she speaks. “Just…it’s easier if we don’t talk about this. Maybe you should leave.”

Elliot meets her eyes. He can see the emotion behind her glassy gaze, can see the strength it’s taking for her to not crumble under the weight of her emotions. Elliot nods slowly. He walks over to collect his shirt, slipping it back on.

Olivia slides down from the pool table and watches him, waiting for him to leave. She folds her arms to protect herself, as if there is a chill in the air and not in her heart.

Elliot begins to walk to the doorway, then stops, turning around. “Liv, I’m sorry,” he says quietly. “I never meant for this to happen…I was just-”

“I’m not the one you need to apologise to,” Olivia cuts him off. “Tonight was a mistake and I’m just to blame. I was just…caught in the moment.” Olivia hesitates, then says, “don’t come back here Elliot. Go back home to your family. You have a second chance…don’t screw that up over me. Don’t make that mistake again.”

Elliot’s taken back at her words, at the sincerity in her tone. He nods. Elliot makes his way to the door. Then he pauses, turning around once more. “Liv, for the record, I never saw you as a mistake. You’re anything but.”

Olivia watches him leave, his words lingering in her mind.

_I never saw you as a mistake._

When she hears the door click shut, Olivia sinks to the floor and cries. Tears shatter in her chest and quake throughout her body, growing as the weight of what she has done caves in on her. Olivia draws her knees up to her chest and lets her head drop town, tears rolling down her cheeks and to her chest.

_He’s wrong…this was all a mistake._

Olivia thinks about her career. Her investigation. Months of work that she threatened to jeopardise in one night. Then she thinks about his wife and his family.

_God, she’s been so stupid…_

She knows that it’s not just the alcohol that has compromised her judgement and decision-making tonight.

Olivia thinks about Elliot. She thinks about all the times she flirted with him and found herself _enjoying_ his attention. She thinks about the long days she spent here, sacrificing her life and her home to be at this sleazy bar, cleaning tables, enduring taunts from men and looking forward to the time when Elliot would walk inside.

Olivia groans.

She wonders how the hell she let herself get so close to him when she knows he could jeopardise everything. 

Deep down inside, if Olivia could face her demons, she knows why.

Olivia takes another trembling breath and lifts her head up. The broken glass and empty glasses sit there, still waiting for her. It’s late, she can’t delay cleaning this up anymore.

Olivia wipes the tears away from her eyes and stands. She walks over to the table and begins to collect the empty trays, doing all she can to push away tonight’s ordeal. Olivia knows that if she works hard enough, she can numb herself to all thoughts and feelings of Elliot and what happened between them on the pool table.

However, ignoring the ache in her chest, pulsing unrelentingly like a throbbing bruise, will be harder. 

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said it would be a slow burn, but I couldn’t help myself. *fans self after writing that pool table scene*
> 
> Please leave a comment and Kudos, I really do appreciate the support. Wishing everyone a safe and good week! Let’s hold onto our sanity until the reunion.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all. Please leave a comment or kudos and let me know what you think and would like to see. Thanks for reading :)


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